Overview of
Project:

In this study, CBNERR was one of several reserves that partnered with
NOAA’s Restoration Center to monitor the success of wetland mitigation at a
number of restoration sites during the time period of 2008 to 2010. Reserves collected data from a series of
relatively undisturbed tidal wetlands at or near five National Estuarine
Research Reserves (Reserves) Oregon as reference sites against which to compare
the restoration status of 17 local tidal wetland restoration projects
previously funded by the Estuarine Restoration Act since 2000. Reserves were located in Maine, Rhode Island,
Virginia, North Carolina and Oregon.

The objectives of this study, funded by the NOAA Restoration Center,
were fourfold:

Determine the level of restoration achieved at each
project restoration site;

Determine the utility of long-term wetland
monitoring sites at Reserves as reference sites for restoration projects
implemented within the region; and

Compare responses of hydrologic and excavation/fill
types of restoration.

A synthesis report summarizes findings at all study sites for three
years (2008 to 2010) of the study (Dionne et al. 2012). "Measuring Tidal Wetland Response to Restoration Using Performance Benchmarks from Local Reference Sites " Part 1-Beginning/Intro; Part 2-The Study & Part 3-Appendix.

According to our RPI values, most restoration
projects surveyed in this study appeared to have achieved an intermediate level
of restoration with two sites appearing to have become very similar to their
paired reference sites, suggesting a high level of restoration.

Two abiotic variables – 1) elevation of marsh
platform, and 2) depth to groundwater were significantly correlated with plant
community structure, providing important indicators of tidal wetland
restoration performance.

Each Reserve has also provided a report to the Restoration Center with
detailed site information, maps, analyses and conclusions specific to that
region: